HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

Tony Wright: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost of the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was, including staff, in each Session since 1996–97.

Archy Kirkwood: The costs of the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, by financial year, are shown in the following table (the figures by Session are not available), and are mainly direct staffing costs. Most of the general office running costs, including accommodation and IT/IS support, are absorbed by other parts of the House administration and cannot easily be disaggregated.
	
		Costs for financial years 1996–97 to 2001–02
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Staffing etc 149,269 222,902 230,450 267,070 228,994 294,209 
			 Running costs 2,137 1,137 4,178 1,496 6,103 2,003 
			 Total 151,406 224,039 234,628 268,566 235,097 296,212

TRANSPORT

London Underground

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement, on 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 10WS, on London Underground, what amendments he proposes to ensure that the operation of London Underground's contracts is not affected when they are transferred from one body to another; whether the PPP Consortia and lenders have a veto over the transfer of London Underground and Transport for London; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Government's proposals for amendments to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 are contained in clause 108 of the Railways and Transport Safety Bill as amended in Standing Committee D, which is available on the House website.
	The Secretary of State told the House in his written statement, on 4 February 2003,Official Report, column 10WS, that the transfer of London Underground Ltd. to Transport for London will only take place ahead of such amendments to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 with the agreement of the PPP consortia and lenders.

South Central Electrostar Train

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much compensation is payable to Bombardier as a result of the lack of power for the South Central Electrostar trains.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail authority is leading an industry wide project to upgrade the power supply in the southern region. Development of the project is advanced and discussions have begun on the project's financial implications for the SRA, Network Rail, train operators and other parties such as the rolling stock manufacturers. Details are still emerging, but any compensation to Bombardier is likely to be a matter between them and their client for the new trains, Go-Via.

TREASURY

Children at Risk

Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans the team looking at the Green Paper for Children at Risk have to recommend a review of educational and social institutions designed to provide a more nurturing environment for children whose lives are fragmented;
	(2)  what plans the team looking at the Green Paper for Children at Risk have for joint training for children's professionals in the core skills needed by those who work with children;
	(3)  what plans the team looking at the Green Paper for Children at Risk have to support parents in the transition to parenthood.

Paul Boateng: The Green Paper on Children at Risk, to be published this spring, is examining the range of services available to children and young people who are at risk of educational failure, offending, victimisation and abuse, and poor health.Whilst its too early to comment on the detail of the Green Paper on Children at Risk, the role of parents, schools and children's professionals in improving the outcomes for children are at the core of the work. The Green Paper is looking at how parents can be enabled to support their children best, from preparing for parenthood, throughout the key early years and as their children grow towards adulthood.
	Positive experiences of schools and of after school leisure activities outside of schools, play a pivotal role in building self-esteem and enabling children to succeed, educationally, socially and in employment in later life. The Green Paper is considering how mainstream services and institutions can ensure they are positive and accessible environments for the most vulnerable children and young people.
	The Green Paper is also looking at ways to improve common training across the professionals who work with children and young people to ensure a shared understanding of child development and safeguarding children.

Fraud

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost to British financial institutions in the last two years from (a) stolen corporate identities and (b) hoax e-mails.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	While there have been incidents of corporate identity fraud in the UK in the last two years which have been investigated by UK law enforcement agencies, these cases have not resulted in any reported loss to the financial institutions concerned. With regards to incidences of hoax e-mails, more commonly known as advance fee or '419' fraud, once again there has been no reported financial loss to UK financial institutions. Losses have been sustained by a number of individual victims of such crime and in the years 2001 and 2002 National Criminal Intelligence Service figures detail reported losses of £19,451,000. This however is likely to be only a small percentage of losses as few victims are prepared to acknowledge their losses to Law Enforcement.

Inland Revenue

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax returns were reported lost or mislaid by the Inland Revenue in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue do not keep records of the number of tax returns reported lost or mislaid.
	Every year the Revenue receive and process around nine million self assessment tax returns. Over 99 per cent. of returns received by the due date (31 January) are processed by 31 March.

Personal Tax

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recalculation of personal tax liabilities.

Dawn Primarolo: An individual's personal tax liability will depend on a number of factors including the income tax rates and bands and the level of personal allowances. It will also make a difference if the individual has savings or investment income that is subject to income tax.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Contingency Planning

Paul Keetch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on his Department's (a) responsibilities and (b) assets with regard to civil contingency planning; what funds are committed; what action he is taking within his Department to improve such planning; and what action he is taking in collaboration with other departments.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the statement my hon. Friend the Home Secretary made on civil contingencies on 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 72WS, as part of the debates on the approval of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 Order 2003 and the Intelligence and Security Committee report on the Bali bombing. The statement refers to the Lead Government Department Paper which Cabinet Office placed in the Library of the House on 23 July 2002 and which sets out the role of the lead Government Departments in planning for and managing crises.
	The Civil Contingencies Secretariat, a part of the Cabinet Office, supports the Home Secretary in co-ordinating the work to enhance civil contingency planning.
	Its current objectives are to:
	1. lead horizon scanning activity to identify and assess potential and imminent disruptive challenges to the domestic UK and assist in the development of an integrated response. Build partnerships with other organisations to develop and share best practice in horizon scanning and develop the knowledge of the UK's critical networks and infrastructure.
	2. ensure that the Government can continue to function and deliver public services during crises, working with Departments and other Secretariats in the Cabinet Office to ensure that plans and systems to cover the full range of potential disruption are in place and exercised. CCS would provide support to the Civil Contingencies Committee which would meet in the case of a specific emergency to co-ordinate the government's response.
	3. lead the delivery of improved resilience to disruption across Government and the public sector, including supporting Ministers in developing policy, agreeing priorities and planning assumptions and ensuring that core response capabilities are developed accordingly. This includes the development and promulgation of doctrine.
	4. improve the capability of all levels of Government, the wider public sector and the private and voluntary sectors to prepare for, respond to and manage potential challenges, through development of key skills and awareness.
	To carry out this role, £39.5 million was allocated to the CCS in February 2003. This included the £10 million administration and capital costs of the Secretariat, the £19 million Local Authority Grant and £10 million to the Met Office. In addition the Office of the e-Envoy has a budget of just over £6. 9 million for the Emergency Communications Network.

External Reports

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list (a) the title and subject, (b) the total cost to his Department and (c) the commissioned author or organisation of each external report commissioned by the Cabinet Office in each year since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many times he has visited Scotland on official duties each year since 2000; and what meetings were held on each occasion.

Douglas Alexander: Since joining the Cabinet Office in June 2002 I have not visited Scotland on Cabinet Office business, but my right hon. Friend the Lord Macdonald of Tradeston had one official Cabinet Office business trip in 2001 and one in 2002.
	However in line with exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings or their content, as some of these discussions may have taken place on a confidential basis.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make ministerial announcements in April; and whether officers in Government Departments are permitted to collate briefings for Ministers for election campaign debates.

Douglas Alexander: Departmental business during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament, will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in UK Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and English local authorities, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.
	Copies were placed in the Libraries of the House.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Award Schemes

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the award schemes in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 promoted by the Department; what their scope was; when the relevant participating organisations are scheduled to be sent results; and whether other parties will be given notification of the results at the same time.

Alun Michael: None.

Eggs (Marking)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which agency will have responsibility for enforcing the EU's proposed rules on the compulsory marking of hen eggs; what resources the Government plans to make available for the enforcement duties; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: In England and Wales, responsibility for enforcing rules on the compulsory marking of hens eggs will fall principally to this Department's Egg Marketing Inspectorate although local authority trading standards officers will be responsible for enforcement at retail level.
	This work will form part of the normal enforcement of egg marketing legislation, and as such, no additional resources have been allocated to it.

Eggs (Marking)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 25 February 2003, Official Report, column 455W, on egg marking, what assessment she has made of the impact of the new rules for marking on the eggs sold at Women's Institute markets.

Margaret Beckett: The principal purpose of the new rules on egg marking is to improve consumer information and to provide greater traceability, for example in the event of a possible food borne disease outbreak. This need applies irrespective of the outlet. Where eggs are from a clearly identifiable producer and are sold direct to the final consumer in a WI market, they do not necessarily have to be marked. Otherwise, the normal egg marketing rules will apply.

National Parks

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what figures she collates on traffic flows in national parks.

Alun Michael: None, but the Department for Transport collects such information on motorways, 'A' roads and many 'B' roads.

DEFENCE

European Security and Defence Policy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with other EU member states on the involvement of (a) Canada, (b) Russia, (c) Ukraine and (d) other countries in the European Security and Defence Policy; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: Initial principles for the participation of Canada, Russia, Ukraine and other interested states in the European Security and Defence Policy were agreed at the Nice European Council in December 2000, and arrangements subsequently set out in letters to the countries concerned. They have not been the subject of recent ministerial discussion. Canada may participate in EU operations which use NATO assets and capabilities, if she so chooses, and we expect her to take part in the forthcoming EU operation in the Republic of Macedonia on this basis. Canada may also take part in EU operations without recourse to NATO assets and capabilities, if invited by the Council. These arrangements mirror those for European non-EU NATO Allies. Russia, Ukraine and other interested countries may be invited to participate in EU-led operations on a case-by-case basis.

HMS Nottingham

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the predicted cost of the repairs being carried out on HMS Nottingham is; when it will be ready for service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 February 2003 Official Report, column 177W, to the hon. Member for Cornwall, South East (Mr. Breed).

Indonesia

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to release departmental papers from 1975–76 concerning Indonesia, East Timor and the Balebo killings.

Lewis Moonie: We are not aware of any Ministry of Defence files dealing specifically with this subject. However, two general files have been identified covering wider events from that time. These will be made available to researchers in the Public Record Office in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act, 1958 and 1967.

Iraq

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when requests were received from the United States for additional infantry for possible military action against Iraq; whether they have been agreed to; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 20 March 2003
	I have not received any requests from the United States for additional infantry. However, I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement on 13 March 2003, Official Report, column 20WS, in which I announced the deployment of the 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment and 202 Field Hospital (Volunteer). Respectively, these will provide additional infantry and medical capability to Headquarters 1 (UK) Armoured Division, so that it can respond to a range of potential tasks and circumstances.

Operational Performance Statements

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action the Government will take to ensure that those soldiers, sailors and airmen who have not been able to undertake the work and practice necessary to achieve Operational Performance Statement while covering for the fire strike and therefore will not reach their next promotion level and an increased pay band, do not lose out; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Every effort is being made to ensure that personnel who covered for the fire strike will not be disadvantaged.
	For the Navy, deferral or cancellation of planned training due to Op. FRESCO is recognised as an exigency of service and such delays in individuals' promotion will be considered on a case by case basis. However, the position of individuals who have been withdrawn from career training courses whilst in attendance and have suffered a delay in their promotion as a result, has been recognised as unique. On return to normal duty and on completion of outstanding training, such individuals will be entitled to have their effective date of promotion backdated to the day that they would have been promoted but for Op. FRESCO.
	For the Army, Op. FRESCO is also seen as an operational commitment under the terms of Military Aid to the Civil Administration (MACA). Soldiers deployed on operations will receive due credit for the operational experience gained and selection for both promotion and development training will be addressed on a case by case basis. Where individuals have been removed from career courses to participate in the operation, qualifications and benefits will be back-dated to the conclusion of the original course once the training has been completed.
	In the RAF, personnel whose courses were delayed, or who were withdrawn from training on courses that affected pay and seniority, will receive pay and seniority backdated to the original date of graduation on subsequent successful completion of the course.

Transportable Surgical Facilities

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many modularised transportable surgical facilities have been procured for the Armed Forces.

Lewis Moonie: A total of four Modular Transportable Surgical Facility systems have been purchased.

HEALTH

Child Trafficking

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is in place for specialist agencies to provide assistance and support to child victims of trafficking.

Jacqui Smith: We expect that the provision of assistance and support to child victims of trafficking will be secured by local statutory services in response to identified needs, whether provided directly or through specialist agencies. The relevant statutory agencies include the immigration service, the police, social services and health, which have a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable children and to prevent and detect crimes against them.
	Child victims of trafficking are likely to be in need of welfare services and in many cases, protection under the Children Act 1989. Social services have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of these children following an assessment of their circumstances.

Care Homes

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much funding has been made available in 2002–03 for care homes in (a) the London Borough of Havering, (b) each of the other London boroughs and (c) each administrative area for health care in the United Kingdom;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on care home funding in the London Borough of Havering.

Jacqui Smith: In 2002–03, the Revenue Support Grant for the London Borough of Havering made provision for an increase in funding for social services of 5.2 per cent., compared with a national average increase of 4.9 per cent. This represented an increase from £38,514,000 in 2001–02 to £39,890,000 in 2002–03. Councils have discretion to decide their spending priorities and are not required to spend exactly these amounts on social care. It is therefore for each council to decide how much to spend on care homes. In addition, in 2002–03 Havering received a Building Capacity Grant of £1,173,000 which is more than double the amount they received in the previous year.

Care Homes

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 232W, on care homes, how many letters he has sent to care homes regarding the failure to pass on the free nursing care contribution.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave the hon. Member on 26 March 2002, Official Report, columns 935–36W, in which I made it clear that four providers had been written to about this. Health authorities and primary care trusts will also have written to providers on this subject

Hearing Aids

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) hearing aid users and (b) digital hearing aid users there were in (i) the Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the UK on 1 February.

Jacqui Smith: The Royal National Institute for the Deaf estimates that there are 1.8 million people currently using hearing aids in England. Information is not collected centrally on numbers of people using analogue or digital hearing aids in England or in the localised areas specified. Information related to Wales and Scotland is a matter for the devolved administrations. Whilst the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.

Lymphoedema

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to promote therapies for people with lymphoedema.

Jacqui Smith: There is currently no cure but, with appropriate treatment, lymphoedema can be very well managed in the national health service. These treatments consist of a combination of skin care, exercise, massage and compression garments or bandaging. In a few cases it is possible to help surgically, for example by transplanting lymph vessels.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has recently updated the Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer Guidance, and that guidance made some recommendations about lymphoedema. The guidance recommends that cancer networks should agree guidelines for identification and management of lymphoedema and that a lymphoedema service, staffed by nurses and physiotherapists who have experience in dealing with this problem, should be available for all patients who experience arm swelling or discomfort.

Mencap

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet MENCAP to discuss progress in implementation of the White Paper, "Valuing People", through Local Learning Disability Partnership Boards.

Jacqui Smith: I have met representatives of MENCAP on several occasions since the publication of the White Paper "Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" (Cm 5086) in March 2001 and have discussed a range of issues. I welcome MENCAP's very positive contribution to the implementation of the White Paper, for example through the current chief executive's membership of the Learning Disability Task Force and their management of the learning disability telephone Helpline. I look forward to meeting MENCAP's new chief executive when she has taken up her post and to working with her as we continue to implement "Valuing People". I should be happy to include the role of Learning Disability Partnership Boards in our discussions.

Mental Health (Salisbury)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when mental health service improvements announced in the national service framework for mental health and the NHS plan in respect of (a) crisis teams, (b) assertive outreach programmes, (c) home treatment, (d) early intervention in psychosis and (e) primary care mental health teams will be launched in Salisbury.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 18 March 2003
	A mental health national service framework (NSF) was published in September 1999 which spells out national standards for mental health, what they aim to achieve, how they should be developed and delivered and how to measure performance in every part of the country. It concentrates on the mental health needs of working age adults, and covers health promotion, assessment and diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and care, encompassing primary and secondary care and the roles of partner agencies.
	Work to develop mental health services is ongoing. In order to improve local services the local primary care trust has committed, in its three year local delivery plan, to increased investment in mental health, including investment in services for older people and dementia provision.
	The Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership National Health Service Trust has advised of specific mental health services in place as follows:
	Crisis teams and home treatment:
	The intensive home support service already provides out-of-hours crisis support in Salisbury and south Wiltshire. Supports run from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm on weekdays and bank holidays and from 10am to 6pm on weekends.
	Assertive Outreach programmes:
	There is a small team currently seeing 14 clients in south Wiltshire, with the aim of increasing this to serve around 40 clients over the next few years. The programme will be considered under a major data led review of adult mental health services to be undertaken during 2003.
	Across the whole Avon, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority area there have been substantial service improvements in line with NSF Guidance including:
	six more crisis resolution teams
	eight more assertive outreach teams
	at least 12 more community gateway staff
	at least 14 more staff to give breaks to carers and strengthen carer support
	fully comprehensive community mental health teams in the three Wiltshire LIT areas
	better services for mentally-disordered offenders including expansion of two court assessment schemes and in-reach provision for prisoners
	better services for mentally-disordered offenders including expansion of two court assessment schemes and in-reach provision for prisoners
	better medium secure services including advocacy and social care services in keeping with the Lewis Report
	increased security High Secure Hospitals
	There have also been substantial improvements in the integrated care programme approach, mental health commissioning, and information sharing.

North Cumbria Acute Trust

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial package the former chief executive of North Cumbria Acute Trust received following his resignation.

Jacqui Smith: The former chief executive of the North Cumbria Acute National Health Service Trust has received no financial package following his resignation.

Prison Health Care

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget is for prison health care services; and what the total funding allocation to primary care trusts is for 2003–04 for the cost of taking over prison health care services.

Jacqui Smith: There has not, historically, been a separate budget for health care within overall prison service expenditure. A recent survey of prison establishments established that the full-year revenue cost of health care in English prisons in 2002–03 was around £113 million, excluding privately run prisons.
	The Department will assume overall financial responsibility for prison health services from April 2003. However, the Government do not plan to devolve full financial responsibility for these services to primary care trusts (PCTs) until April 2006. Until then, the majority of funding for prison health services will be passed back to the prison service to secure services as now. Allocations to PCTs for 2003–04 take account of existing national health service responsibilities for securing secondary care services for prisoners, along with the development of mental health in-reach teams under the NHS Plan.

Prison Health Care

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget provision has been made for the screening of prison inmates for Hepatitis C.

Jacqui Smith: Prisoners in England and Wales are not routinely screened for Hepatitis C, although individuals may ask to be tested for evidence of the infection. Allocations made to primary care trusts include provision for the costs of such services.

Prison Health Care

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which prisons condoms are available to prisoners (a) through the prison doctor, (b) through the prison shop and (c) from other sources; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not available centrally. Prison doctors have been advised that they can make condoms available to individual prisoners on application where, in their clinical judgment, there is a risk of infection from HIV.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people suffering from reflex sympathetic dystrophy in the United Kingdom.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect statistics on the incidence of individual conditions so we are unable to offer an estimate of the number of people suffering from reflex sympathetic dystrophy in the United Kingdom.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Security Service

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the operational responsibilities are of the Security Service in Northern Ireland; to whom the Security Service is accountable for its operations and activities in Northern Ireland; and what role Her Majesty's Government has in directing the operational activities of the Security Service in Northern Ireland.

David Blunkett: The functions of the Security Service are set out in the Security Service Act 1989 as amended by the Security Service Act 1996.
	Under the 1989 Act, the Director General of the Security Service controls its operations. While the Security Service acts ordinarily under the authority of the Home Secretary, it will report to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for its operations there.
	The hon. Member will be aware that it is the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to comment in any way on the operational activities of the Security Service. Such information is outside of the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Traffic Wardens

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic wardens were employed in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The total number of traffic wardens employed by police authorities in England and Wales for the last three years are given in the following table:
	
		
			  Traffic warden strength 
		
		
			 1999–2000 2,801 
			 2000–01 2,538 
			 2001–02 2,280 
		
	
	Figures for the years prior to 1999–2000 are not recorded centrally.
	The number of traffic wardens has been falling over recent years because increasingly the offences with which they formerly dealt have been decriminalised and dealt with by local authority employees.

Asylum Application Processing Centres

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government progress in persuading non-EU countries to host British asylum application processing centres.

Beverley Hughes: We are still developing our ideas on how we want to advance new international approaches to asylum processing and protection. While there has been media speculation of possible locations for transit processing centres we have not started discussions with any country on the potential as host for such centres.

Chemical Agent Monitors

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hand-held chemical agent monitors are available in each police force.

Bob Ainsworth: The ability of police forces to respond to a terrorist incident involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials is being strengthened through the increased provision of specialist police training and equipment. Home Office funding is being made available to meet the full running and equipment costs involved. It would not be appropriate, on security grounds, to give more specific information regarding the CBRN detection capability in each police force.

Civil Defence

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress made to update the national civil defence and anti-terrorist emergency plans.

David Blunkett: I refer my hon. Friend to the Written Ministerial Statements I made on 3 March 2003, Official Report, column 72WS, and 20 March 2003, Official Report, column 51WS.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 28 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Nariman Rauf Salih.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 March 2003.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 4 February regarding a constituent, ref 3664/3.

Beverley Hughes: My noble Friend Lord Filkin wrote to my hon. Friend on 19 March 2003.

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget he has allocated to efforts to tackle distraction burglary in the financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04.

Bob Ainsworth: In 2002–03, we will have spent nearly £328,000 centrally on work to combat distraction burglary, including funding for a project targeting distraction burglary in Leeds, and the work of Distraction Burglary Task Force.
	Crime Reduction funding for 2003–04 has mainly been distributed directly to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to use to tackle local priorities. There is no central Home Office budget dedicated to distraction burglary.

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress against the National Distraction Burglary Task Force's action plan.

Bob Ainsworth: The National Distraction Burglary Task Force drew up a two year action plan in 2000. It set out a wide range of activities which reflect the Task Force's aim, which is
	"To tackle distraction burglary and thereby improve the quality of life of vulnerable communities through a co-ordinated national partnership initiative within England and Wales".
	That action plan was substantially completed in 2002.
	The Task Force held 11 regional conferences which were well attended and positively received. The report on the conferences has been published and sent to those who attended, others who work with the elderly and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships.
	The Task Force has also produced a range of materials to raise awareness of the issue of distraction burglary among a range of organisations, and to disseminate good practice. Nearly 7,000 toolkits, comprising a copy of a Good Practice Guide, two videos and samples of useful items for making homes more secure were produced for use by those working with the elderly and vulnerable. A leaflet highlighting the message "Stop ... Chain ... Check" has been produced and a series of newsletters for practitioners has been published.
	Funding has been provided for two substantial research projects on distraction burglary. These are investigating key factors that affect vulnerability and the ability to resist attempted offences. We hope to publish the report of this research in May 2003.
	From April 2003, offences deemed to be distraction burglary will be included in the recorded crime series; incorporated as a sub-heading within the Burglary Dwelling category.
	Although the original action plan has been substantially completed, work to reduce distraction burglary is continuing and the Task Force has set up three sub-groups, to consider Communications, Prevention and Partnership. They will look at ways to develop key actions, such as offering advice and training, liaising with utility companies, police forces and others in order to improve the prevention and detection of this crime, and ways of further developing the existing guidance and materials.

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to create a new, separate classification of distraction burglary for the purposes of recording crime statistics.

Bob Ainsworth: With effect from 1 April 2003, we will be collecting centrally from police forces numbers of offences of distraction burglary. These will be recorded as a sub-group of the domestic burglary category and published in the recorded crime statistics.
	The definition of distraction burglary we have agreed is:
	"Any crime where a falsehood, trick or distraction is used on an occupant of a dwelling to gain, or try to gain, access to the premises to commit burglary."

Distraction Burglaries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported incidents of distraction burglary there were in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of distraction burglary that go unreported each year.

Bob Ainsworth: In 2002–03, we will have spent nearly £328,000 centrally on work to combat distraction burglary, including funding for a project targeting distraction burglary in Leeds, and the work of Distraction Burglary Task Force.
	Crime reduction funding for 2003–04 has mainly been distributed directly to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to use to tackle local priorities. There is no central Home Office budget dedicated to distraction burglary.

Immigration Appeals

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals made from outside the UK were successful in each of the last three years for (a) asylum, (b) tourist visas, (c) work permits and (d) British citizenship.

Beverley Hughes: Under provisions of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 which came into force on 7 November 2002, a claimant whose asylum or human rights claim has been refused and certified as "clearly unfounded" may not appeal that refusal until they are outside the United Kingdom. No such appeals had been lodged as at end December 2002 (the latest date for which data are available). However, for the small number of such cases for which appeals have since been received and determined, none has been successful.
	Prior to 7 November, no asylum applicants were required to appeal from outside the United Kingdom.
	There is no statutory right of appeal against a refusal to grant tourist visas or British nationality.
	The number of successful non-statutory appeals made outside the United Kingdom for work permits in each of the last three years is as follows: 753 in 2000; 937 in 2001; and 2,123 in 2002. The issue of a work permit does not guarantee the issue of a visa and/or entry to the United Kingdom.

Ministerial Travel

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list internal flights made by Ministers in his Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class.

David Blunkett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.
	I also refer to the answer provided to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 207W.
	Detailed information for all Ministers in respect of United Kingdom travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are in the Library.

On-the-spot Fines

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the on-the-spot fines pilot project in North Wales.

Bob Ainsworth: North Wales is one of five police forces piloting penalty notices for disorder in four police force areas. The pilot in North Wales commenced on 2 September in its central division. Up to 5 January 100 penalty notices had been issued with 53 paid and only one request for a court hearing. 23 penalty notices were within the 21 day payment period with no recorded outcome. North Wales police have welcomed this new option for dealing with low-level disorderly offending and are now extending the pilot forcewide.

Police

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 24 February, ref 97598, what the role of his Department is in determining policy and guidelines relating to the deployment of police forces.

Bob Ainsworth: Under the Police Act 1996, a police force is under the control and direction of its chief officer. Operational decisions, including the deployment of officers, are a matter for the chief officer of police.
	The Police Reform Act 2002 provides for the publication of an annual National Policing Plan which sets out the Home Secretary's strategic priorities for the police service and the targets and indicators by which police performance will be measured. Chief officers and police authorities are then required to have regard to the National Policing Plan when preparing their own three-year strategic plan.
	From time to time the Home Secretary may also issue regulations requiring all forces to adopt particular procedures and practices in the interests of promoting efficiency and effectiveness. The Home Secretary may for the same reasons issue codes of practice on any function of chief officers and to which a chief officer shall have regard. The Home Secretary may issue guidance to the police on specific aspects of policing. Codes of practice are drafted by Centrex (the Central Police Training and Development Authority) after consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities. The Home Secretary shall also seek the advice of Centrex (who will again consult) in drafting regulations.
	The Home Secretary may also direct that an action plan be drawn up where inadequate performance is identified by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary in a force or part of a force.
	The National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE) has been established within Centrex specifically to advance the professional capacity of the police. It will develop and disseminate knowledge to improve effective policing practice and will focus on priority issues affecting public confidence and risk, including those required by the Home Secretary for incorporation into regulations and codes of practice.

Police

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has withdrawn from the National Assembly for Wales police provision to fund centrally managed initiatives.

Bob Ainsworth: A number of specific grants and central initiatives are financed from the overall provisions for police grant and for revenue support grant from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and from the Welsh Assembly Government. The share contributed by the National Assembly for 2003–04 is £21.26 million. It is based on the Welsh police authorities' share of Total Assumed Spending for police authorities in England and Wales.
	Welsh police authorities will receive £355 million in general grant in 2003–04, an increase of 3.6 per cent. over the provision for 2002–03. In addition, they are expected to receive in specific grants sums at least equivalent to the National Assembly contribution.

Police

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers have been recruited by each police authority in England and Wales, in the last year for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: Police forces were first invited to bid for funds for Community Support Officers (CSOs) on 31 July 2002. 27 forces made successful bids. The table sets out the numbers of CSOs recruited up to 17 March in 26 of these forces. Avon and Somerset have not, as yet, employed any CSOs although they hope to have 12 in place shortly.
	
		
			  Numbers recruited by 17 March 2003 
		
		
			 Metropolitan 422 
			 Metropolitan (funded by Transport for London) 83 
			 Greater Manchester 160 
			 Lancashire 72 
			 Merseyside 41 (two part-timers) 
			 Cleveland 40 
			 West Yorkshire 36 
			 Surrey 36 
			 Lincolnshire 32 
			 Gwent 30 
			 Leicestershire 28 
			 Sussex 22 
			 Devon and Cornwall 20 
			 Wiltshire 14 
			 Hertfordshire 14 
			 South Yorkshire 12 
			 Norfolk 12 
			 Northamptonshire 12 
			 Warwickshire 11 
			 Durham 10 
			 Essex 10 
			 Nottinghamshire 10 
			 West Mercia 10 
			 Dorset 7 
			 Kent 9 
			 Cambridgeshire 6 
			 Cheshire 6 
			 Total 1,165 
		
	
	We are on course to meet our target of 1,200 CSOs recruited by the end of March. A new round of bidding has commenced and we hope to announce allocations in May 2003.

Police

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will encourage rail operating companies to extend the free travel on trains available to regular police officers to members of the Special Constabulary.

Bob Ainsworth: The Special Constabulary has a vital role to play in reducing crime and providing reassurance to the public. We welcome any contribution that the rail operating companies, and the wider business community, can make to support the work of the Special Constabulary.

Police

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans he has (a) to alter and (b) to withdraw the subsistence allowance for special constables;
	(2)  what the rates of payments made to special constables are for (a) boot allowance and (b) subsistence allowance; when these figures were introduced; and what plans he has to increase them.

Bob Ainsworth: Revised allowances for special constables were set out in Home Office Circular No. 64/89, payable with effect from 11 September 1989.
	The Circular set the boot allowance at an annual rate of £30, payable in arrears. A refreshment allowance for a special constable incurring expenditure to obtain a meal was set at the same rate as that approved for payment to regular constables under Regulation 58 of the Police Regulations 1987, as amended.
	We are currently reviewing Home Office Circular No. 64/89.

Police

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what percentage of police resources is allocated to traffic policing (a) in the UK and (b) broken down by region;
	(2)  how many dedicated traffic police officers there have been in each year since 1991, broken down by region and nation; and what percentage of the total number of police officers these figures represent, broken down by region and nation;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding the number of dedicated traffic police officers; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The following tables give the readily available information in respect of England and Wales. This covers the three years since 1999, in which year the definition of 'traffic officer' used by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary changed. The definition is now
	"staff who are predominantly employed on motor-cycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties". This definition excludes those engaged in accident investigation, vehicle examination or radar duties. Policing in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.
	The importance given to traffic policing should not be measured solely by the number of dedicated traffic officers, and does not depend on increases or decreases in the number of such officers. The adoption of an intelligence-led approach to traffic policing, its integration with other core activities, the increased use of cameras and other technology, and the more effective use of police resources can lead to a reduction in dedicated traffic officers without a reduction in traffic-related targets or enforcement levels.
	The importance of roads policing is recognised in the National Policing Plan. This sets out that forces and local authorities should include in their local policing plans targeted and intelligence-led strategies for reducing deaths and injuries on the roads and achieving a safe environment for all road users.
	Officials are in regular contact with the head of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Road Policing Business Area and his colleagues.
	
		
			   Traffic police officers 
			 Region and nation 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Cleveland 68 63 67 
			 Durham 116 113 113 
			 Northumbria 158 158 178 
			 North East Region Total 342 334 358 
			 Cheshire 196 187 194 
			 Cumbria 119 111 108 
			 Greater Manchester 433 423 421 
			 Lancashire 220 217 220 
			 Merseyside 185 130 126 
			 North West Region Total 1,153 1,068 1,069 
			 Humberside 155 145 136 
			 North Yorkshire 96 129 140 
			 South Yorkshire 196 206 208 
			 West Yorkshire 323 326 336 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Total 770 806 820 
			 Derbyshire 139 136 140 
			 Leicestershire 87 95 86 
			 Lincolnshire 93 88 98 
			 Northamptonshire 52 52 61 
			 Nottinghamshire 167 175 111 
			 East Midland Region Total 538 546 496 
			 Staffordshire 188 35 34 
			 Warwickshire 102 96 95 
			 West Mercia 278 322 325 
			 West Midlands 394 380 385 
			 West Midlands Region Total 962 833 839 
			 Bedfordshire 73 69 69 
			 Cambridgeshire 93 86 78 
			 Essex 245 249 254 
			 Hertfordshire 155 168 149 
			 Norfolk 109 113 114 
			 Suffolk 70 63 68 
			 East of England Region Total 745 748 732 
			 City of London 22 24 25 
			 Metropolitan Police 824 686 602 
			 London Region Total 846 710 627 
			 Hampshire 251 240 240 
			 Kent 103 104 104 
			 Surrey 173 197 110 
			 Thames valley 251 251 247 
			 South East Region Total 778 792 701 
			 Avon and Somerset 200 211 214 
			 Devon and Cornwall 215 202 187 
			 Dorset 83 86 81 
			 Gloucestershire 68 69 64 
			 Wiltshire 93 91 88 
			 South West Region Total 659 659 634 
			 England Total 6,793 6,496 6,276 
			 Dyfed-Powys 93 83 75 
			 Gwent 90 89 87 
			 North Wales 134 146 152 
			 South Wales 224 238 244 
			 Wales 541 556 558 
			 Wales Total 541 556 558 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of total police 
			 Region and nation 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Cleveland 4.78 4.424157 4.5859 
			 Durham 7.445443 7.084639 6.992574 
			 Northumbria 4.171067 4.096448 4.530415 
			 North East Region Total 5.053938 4.857475 5.109906 
			 Cheshire 9J46395 9.298856 9.42205 
			 Cumbria 10.97786 10.5916 9.818182 
			 Greater Manchester 6.372333 6.121563 5.833449 
			 Lancashire 6.830177 6.666667 6.658596 
			 Merseyside 4.528764 3.185494 3.054545 
			 North West Region Total 6.705048 6.171627 6.003931 
			 Humberside 8.022774 7.58765 6.634146 
			 North Yorkshire 7.476636 9.832317 9.957326 
			 South Yorkshire 6.216302 6.488189 6.502032 
			 West Yorkshire 6.697077 6.770509 6.872571 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Total 28.41279 7.188085 7.103257 
			 Derbyshire 7.822172 7.46023 7.575758 
			 Leicestershire 4.365278 4.672897 4.176785 
			 Lincolnshire 8.340807 8.340807 8.180301 
			 Northamptonshire 4.651163 4.486626 5.024712 
			 Nottinghamshire 7.508993 7.688928 4.763948 
			 East Midland Region Total 6.539443 6.428824 5.734767 
			 Staffordshire 8.663594 1.650943 1.593999 
			 Warwickshire 11.33333 10.37838 9.803922 
			 West Mercia 14.70899 16.50436 16.50505 
			 West Midlands 5.460845 5.121294 5.069792 
			 West Midlands Region Total 7.901437 6.709085 6.599025 
			 Bedfordshire 7.101167 6.673114 6.472795 
			 Cambridgeshire 7.512116 6.635802 5.726872 
			 Essex 8.73129 8.604008 8.630649 
			 Hertfordshire 8.77193 8.740895 8.142077 
			 Norfolk 7.892831 7.963354 7.765668 
			 Suffolk 6.108202 5.560459 5.652535 
			 East of England Region Total 7.954303 7.576985 7.414911 
			 City of London 2.98913 3.41394 3.27654 
			 Metropolitan Police 3.236195 2.751153 2.298499 
			 London Region Total 3.229254 2.769327 2.326185 
			 Hampshire 7.341328 6.9869 6.896552 
			 Kent 3.214732 3.134418 3.099851 
			 Surrey 9.691877 9.535334 5.522088 
			 Thames valley 6.709436 6.772801 6.565657 
			 South East Region Total 6.403819 6.323353 5.568353 
			 Avon and Somerset 6.816633 7.047428 6.912145 
			 Devon and Cornwall 7.567758 6.884799 6.125123 
			 Dorset 6.355283 6.304985 5.865315 
			 Gloucestershire 6.104129 5.897436 5.419136 
			 Wiltshire 8.318426 8.125 7.605877 
			 South West Region Total 7.07613 6.877479 6.424807 
			 England Total 79.27616 54.90224 52.28514 
			 Dyfed-Powys 8.899522 7.852412 6.619594 
			 Gwent 7.120253 6.985871 6.526632 
			 North Wales 9.689082 10.1108 10.11984 
			 South Wales 7.562458 7.657658 7.67537 
			 Wales 8.130448 8.077873 7.807472 
			 Wales Total 8.130448 8.077873 7.807472 
		
	
	
		
			   Number of police officers 
			 Region and nation 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Cleveland 1,421 1,424 1,461 
			 Durham 1,558 1,595 1,616 
			 Northumbria 3,788 3,857 3,929 
			 North East Region Total 6,767 6,876 7,006 
			 Cheshire 2,011 2,011 2,059 
			 Cumbria 1,084 1,048 1,100 
			 Greater Manchester 6,795 6,910 7,217 
			 Lancashire 3,221 3,255 3,304 
			 Merseyside 4,085 4,081 4,125 
			 North West Region Total 17,196 17,305 17,805 
			 Humberside 1,932 1,911 2,050 
			 North Yorkshire 1,284 1,312 1,406 
			 South Yorkshire 3,153 3,175 3,199 
			 West Yorkshire 4,823 4,815 4,889 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Total 11,192 11,213 11,544 
			 Derbyshire 1,777 1,823 1,848 
			 Leicestershire 1,993 2,033 2,059 
			 Lincolnshire 1,115 1,202 1,198 
			 Northamptonshire 1,118 1,159 1,214 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,224 2,276 2,330 
			 East Midland Region Total 8,227 8,493 8,649 
			 Staffordshire 2,170 2,120 2,133 
			 Warwickshire 900 925 969 
			 West Mercia 1,890 1,951 2,018 
			 West Midlands 7,215 7,420 7,594 
			 West Midlands Region Total 12,175 12,416 12,714 
			 Bedfordshire 1,028 1,034 1,066 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,238 1,296 1,362 
			 Essex 2,806 2,894 2,943 
			 Hertfordshire 1,767 1,922 1,830 
			 Norfolk 1,381 1,419 1,468 
			 Suffolk 1,146 1,133 1,203 
			 East of England Region Total 9,366 9,698 9,872 
			 City of London 736 703 763 
			 Metropolitan Police 25,462 24,935 26,191 
			 London Region Total 26,198 25,638 26,954 
			 Hampshire 3,419 3,435 3,480 
			 Kent 3,204 3,318 3,355 
			 Surrey 1,785 2,066 1,992 
			 Thames valley 3,741 3,706 3,762 
			 South East Region Total 12,149 12,525 12,589 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,934 2,994 3,096 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,841 2,934 3,053 
			 Dorset 1,306 1,364 1,381 
			 Gloucestershire 1,114 1,170 1,181 
			 Wiltshire 1,118 1,120 1,157 
			 South West Region Total 9,313 9,582 9,868 
			 England Total 112,583 113,746 117,001 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,045 1,057 1,133 
			 Gwent 1,264 1,274 1,333 
			 North Wales 1,383 1,444 1,502 
			 South Wales 2,962 3,108 3,179 
			 Wales 6,654 6,883 7,147 
			 Wales Total 6,654 6,883 7,147

RAF Fairford

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision under the Terrorism Act 2000 he is using to prevent people from protesting at RAF Fairford.

David Blunkett: holding answer 18 March 2003
	The Terrorism Act 2000 is not being applied in the prevention of protests at RAF Fairford. Powers under this legislation are applied solely for the prevention and investigation of acts of terrorism.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special advisers in the Department (a) have left and (b) will be leaving to work in Scotland for the Labour Party in the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections.

David Blunkett: The rules relating to Special Advisers' political activities are set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. Further guidance in respect of elections for the Scottish Parliament is set out at paragraph 13 of the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in United Kingdom Departments, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.
	The reasons for a Special Adviser's resignation are a private matter between the Department and Adviser, and are therefore exempt from disclosure under paragraph 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Information.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans Ministers in the Department have to (a) visit Scotland on official business, (b) announce public appointments and (c) make ministerial announcements in April.

David Blunkett: All business undertaken by the Home Office during the campaign period preceding elections to the Scottish Parliament will be conducted in accordance with the Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants in United Kingdom Departments in respect of elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales, published by the Cabinet Office on 10 March.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Women's Portfolio Duties

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement regarding the proportion of her ministerial time she gives to her Women's Portfolio duties.

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the proportion of her ministerial time she spends on women's portfolio duties.

Patricia Hewitt: With women making up about half the workforce, setting up a third of new business start-ups and making the majority of decisions as consumers, my roles as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women are inextricably linked. I do not therefore see the two as separate roles to which time should be specifically allocated or recorded.
	My hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) also works on women and equality issues as part of her ministerial portfolio.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burundi

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the implications of the forthcoming change of leadership in the transitional Government of Burundi; and what plans she has to provide (a) financial and (b) political support to enable the deployment of observers and peacekeeping troops to Burundi.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	With the international community we remain committed to supporting the Arusha process and the transitional government institutions. We have given extensive support to South African Vice President Zuma and his facilitation team. We and our EU partners have committed Euro1.23 million to finance the African Union Observer Mission in Burundi. We now stand ready to assist financially the deployment of the African Mission, which is central to the success of the 2 December ceasefire. It is important that there is a smooth hand over of power in the Transitional National Government of Burundi. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Burundi

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government are doing to promote peace in Burundi.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK continues to monitor the situation in Burundi closely. With the international community, we remain committed to supporting the Arusha process and the transitional government institutions. We have given extensive support to South African Vice President Zuma and his facilitation team. We and EU partners have committed Euro1.23 million to finance the African Union Observer Mission in Burundi. We stand ready to assist financially the deployment of the African Mission, which is central to the success of the 2 December ceasefire.

Humanitarian Assistance

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional support is the UK Government providing to humanitarian agencies to help their preparedness and for immediate humanitarian response following conflict in Iraq.

Clare Short: I have committed £20 million to support contingency preparations by the UN humanitarian agencies, Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and international NGOs. DFID has set aside a further £70 million for the immediate humanitarian response. The UK Government is considering further assistance in line with emerging humanitarian needs.
	DFID also provides 19 per cent. of EC funding for Iraq. The EC has committed 21 million euros to the immediate response, and the UK will support the Commission's request to the budgetary authorities for additional humanitarian assistance to Iraq.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Fraud

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks he conducts against benefit fraud by members of his staff.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions adopts a robust approach to detection, prevention and deterrence of internal fraud. Local Security Specialists assess risks over a number of key areas and provide managers with assurance on the state of internal security. Management control systems are in place to deter and detect, which includes computer generated random checks on selected accesses by staff of the benefit system. In the event of internal fraud being suspected, specially trained staff are in place to investigate.

Departmental Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 27 February 2002, and the answer given to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on 17 June 2002.
	The Department of Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. This involved the amalgamation of parts of the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) with the Department of Social Security. In April 2000, the BA and CSA Press Offices merged with the DSS team, and consequently from that date all Press Releases were categorised as DSS.
	It is not possible to dis-aggregate those press releases issued by DfEE relating solely to employment issues in the period requested. However, the press releases issued by the former DSS and the DWP are as follows.
	
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 DWP — — — — 260 335 
			 DSS 291 311 270 411 — — 
			 Benefits Agency (BA) 60 42 48 — — — 
			 Contributions Agency (CA) 50 10 3 — — — 
			 Child Support Agency (CSA) 10 4 — — — — 
		
	
	The quarterly breakdown is only available for 2002, as the information on previous years is inaccessible.
	
		
			  2002 
		
		
			  
			  
			 January to March 95 
			 April to June 78 
			 July to September 73 
			 October to December 89

Employment, Social Policy, Health andConsumer Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome was of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council held on 6 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I represented the UK at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (ESPHCA) Council in Brussels on 6 March 2003, together with my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment Relations, Industry and the Regions.
	The main business of this Council was a discussion on the proposed Directive on working conditions for temporary workers and the preparation of the Spring European Council, to take place on 21 March.
	On the former, following lunchtime discussion, the Presidency concluded that the dossier was not ready for agreement at this point. The UK declared its readiness to reach agreement on a directive, but one with considerably more flexibility than the current draft, and joined the consensus for aiming for political agreement in June.
	On the latter, the Council adopted without amendment the Joint Employment Report 2002 and its contribution to the Spring Council, "Key messages on the future of the Employment Strategy". In a public debate, member states were in broad agreement on the priorities for the revised Employment Guidelines outlined in the paper: the Guidelines should be fewer in number, focused on outputs rather than inputs, and linked closely to the Lisbon employment rate targets.
	The debate also revealed broad support for the idea of an Employment Task Force, as proposed by the UK, France and Germany. The Council agreed that the Task Force should be a one-off, independent analysis of the measures required to improve Europe's employment performance in the short term. The Task Force should complement the revised Employment Strategy, without creating any new processes.
	Council approved Joint Reports from the Commission and the Council on adequate and sustainable pensions, and on the future of health care and care for the elderly. It noted the opinion of the Social Protection Committee on the Commission's Synthesis Report and agreed a key issues paper on social protection to be sent to the Spring Council.
	The Commission reassured the Council that its forthcoming Communication on streamlining of social protection would acknowledge that different methods and time scales were appropriate for different areas of work. It would also respect subsidiarity.
	The Council noted the work programmes for 2003 of the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee.
	The Council adopted a decision establishing a Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment, noting the declaration from Denmark and the UK that the agreement was on the understanding that it did not set a precedent for the use of Article 202 as a Treaty base for such decisions.
	The Council heard without comment presentations by the Commission on initiatives following the Commission action plan for skills and mobility: European health insurance card, legal basis of the European Employment Services (EURES), and free movement of workers.
	Following an orientation debate, the Council agreed on a joint Presidency and Commission proposal for the Council to send an annual report on Gender Mainstreaming to the Spring Council. The Commission agreed with the UK that this would not involve the establishment of a new process.
	The Commission reported on progress under the European Year of People with Disabilities and outlined its forthcoming report on the social situation in Europe focusing on health.
	No Consumer Affairs items were on the agenda.
	No votes were taken at this Council.

Medical Retirement

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wales under the age of 60 retired early due to ill health in each of the last five years, broken down by county.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested.

Online Sales/Purchases

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by his Department in each of the last five years.

Ian McCartney: The Department introduced electronic procurement in April 1997 for forms and leaflets direct from contract suppliers. Stationery and computer consumables, paper and general office products were added in April 2001.
	Jobcentre Plus has used online processes for travel services and hotel and conference facilities from April 1998. It is intended to pilot these commodities to the rest of DWP beginning June 2003.
	The Department also has a number publications, for example research reports, that can be viewed online. Hard copies of these reports have been available for purchase by members of the public and organisations through the Department's web site since July 2001.

Pensions

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the replacement ratio is by (a) state pension only, (b) state pension and SERPS and (c) state pension, SERPS and private pension provision.

Ian McCartney: An individual's replacement rate depends upon a number of factors, including past saving behaviour, employment history, earnings profile, private pension provision, investment returns and date of retirement. Depending on earnings, income-related benefits are also available such as MIG and Pension Credit. Figure 2.7 in the recent Green Paper (Cm 5677) shows replacement rates from the state in 2050 as a percentage of weekly average earnings. The Government's strategy is to focus resources on those pensioners who need them the most. As a result, those with low lifetime incomes will have higher replacement rates provided by the state.
	The Government have no specific objective on earnings replacement. It is the responsibility of individuals, where possible supported by their employers, to determine the level of income in retirement they want over and above that provided by the state system. Given their state income, figure 2.8 in the Green Paper (cm 5677) estimates the weekly contributions an individual and their employers would need to make to a private pension for the individual to retire on either half or two-thirds of their final salary in 2050.
	The assumptions underlying figures 2.7 and 2.8 are detailed in Annex 5 of the Green Paper (Cm 5677) and in the figures' accompanying footnotes.

Return to Work (Benefits)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that those who enter work (a) do not experience delays in obtaining the benefits to which they are entitled and (b) are not financially penalised in the time before they receive their first full wage payments.

Malcolm Wicks: Making the move from benefit into employment can be worrying. In recognition of this we have developed a package of financial help designed to provide real support for people making this transition and give them confidence that they can take up work.
	To bridge the gap between leaving benefit and receiving a salary we introduced the Job Grant in April 2001. The Job Grant can provide a one-off tax-free payment of £100 for people aged 25 and over moving into full-time work. We have recently announced our intention to extend and improve the Job Grant to include lone parents and people claiming incapacity benefits. For Lone Parents, this will replace the Lone Parent Run-On that currently provides continued benefit payments for lone parents for the first two weeks after moving from benefits into work.
	To assist people with their housing costs we have Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Extended Payments which can provide Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit at their pre-work rate for the first four weeks after moving from Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance into work. We have recently announced plans to extend this scheme to include people claiming Incapacity Benefit. People may also be able to continue getting help with mortgage interest payments in the first four weeks of employment through Mortgage Interest Run-On.
	The Adviser Discretion Fund, which was introduced in July 2001, gives New Deal personal advisers direct access to funds to remove immediate barriers to employment and help people move quickly into work. Advisers can award up to £300 per eligible client for purchase of anything that will help them obtain a job or, if already offered a job, to accept that offer. The Adviser Discretion Fund is currently only available to New Deal participants though we have recently announced plans to extend its availability to everyone who has been claiming a benefit for six months or more.
	Our New Tax credits provide a secure stream of income for families with children, which will be of particular importance during the transition from benefits to work.
	This package of measures and the improvements announced in the pre-Budget Report, reduces the risk of people having to return to benefits due to financial difficulties when starting work.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2003, Official Report, column 593W, on correspondence, when he will provide a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 16 December, ref. GV100/79888/NS (98396).

Mike O'Brien: My noble Friend Baroness Amos, Minister responsible for nationality and passport matters arising overseas, sent a substantive reply to my hon. Friend on 19 March.

Departmental Properties

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the (a) market value and (b) same use cost of FCO buildings in (i) Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, (ii) Singapore, (iii) Bratislava, Slovakia, (iv) Ankara, Turkey, (v) Atlanta, USA, (vi) Boston, USA, (vii) Houston, USA, (viii) Seattle, USA, (ix) Los Angeles, USA and (x) Bangkok, Thailand; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the (a) market value and (b) same use value of the FCO properties at (i) Berlin, Germany, (ii) Munich, Germany, (iii) Accra, Ghana, (iv) Guatemala City, Guatemala, (v) Hong Kong.(vi) Bombay, India, (vii) Calcutta, India, (viii) Madras, India, (ix) New Delhi, India, (x) Naples, Italy, (xi) Rome, Italy, (xii) Kingston, Jamaica, (xiii) Tokyo, Japan, (xiv) Abuja, Nigeria, (xv) Kaduna, Nigeria, (xvi) Lagos, Nigeria and (xvii) Muscat, Oman; and what plans he has to sell these buildings.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 February 2003, Official Report, column 430W.

Iraq

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of the costs associated with the military support being provided to enable the return of the UN arms inspectors to Iraq to the UN; and what arrangements are being made to pay the military costs falling to UN member states that enabled the return of the inspectors.

Mike O'Brien: Under UNSCR 1284 UNMOVIC operations are funded by a diversion of funds from the Oil-For-Food programme. Their operations are, therefore, effectively self-financing. Since the return of the UNMOVIC inspectors to Iraq, a number of countries have provided support to their activities. We do not know the costs associated which this assistance. There has been no UK military support for UNMOVIC at the moment.

Saudi Arabia

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK nationals are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia; and what discussions he has had with the Saudi government on their behalf.

Bill Rammell: There are currently 12 British nationals detained in Saudi Arabia. Consular staff are in regular contact with the Saudi authorities and we raise issues relating to individual detainees on a case-by-case basis. Consular staff continue to provide all consular assistance they properly can to the detainees.

Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he has visited Scotland on official duties each year since 2000; and what meetings were held on each occasion.

Jack Straw: In respect of the period from 8 June 2001 when I became Foreign Secretary, I visited Scotland on official duties on Tuesday 27 August 2002. I had meetings with the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and with First Minister Jack McConnell MSP, and visited Trinity Academy, Edinburgh.

Sudan

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 11 February 2003, Official Report, column 728W, on Sudan, if he will place in the Library an account of the discussions his Department has had with aid agencies regarding the Sudanese air traffic control system; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We have no formal record of discussions aid agencies about the Sudanese air traffic control system. FCO officials expressed the view that Sudan has a need for a modern air traffic control system. A large number of commercial flights fly over and within Sudan. A modern air traffic control system is crucial for the safety of United Nations and Non-Governmental Organisations' staff involved in the delivery of vital humanitarian aid in Sudan.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Court Appearances

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many defendants have appeared before a Court in England in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is in the following table. The figures cover cases heard in the criminal and civil courts for which data are available.
	
		Defendants appearing in the High Court (Queen's Bench), Crown, county and magistrates courts in England, 1992–2002
		
			  Defendants—Crown court  Defendants—County court 
			  Trials Sentences Appeals Crown court total Magistrates court total Trials Small claims County court total High Court (Queen's Bench) trials 
		
		
			 1992 118,097 18,457 16,683 153,237 (1)— 24,218 72,657 96,875 6,914 
			 1993 99,264 11,939 20,014 131,217 (1)— 23,588 97,535 121,123 5,612 
			 1994 98,697 10,484 21,691 130,872 (1)— 22,500 65,522 88,022 4,686 
			 1995 102,466 10,979 22,108 135,553 2,171,599 22,971 80,888 103,859 4,508 
			 1996 94,855 11,098 16,986 122,939 2,147,721 18,279 87,308 105,587 4,480 
			 1997 102,801 12,502 13,378 128,681 2,141,386 14,561 90,619 105,180 4,301 
			 1998 89,158 26,201 13,558 128,917 2,200,823 18,988 91,280 110,268 3,628 
			 1999 83,515 28,412 12,597 124,524 2,242,873 20,671 82,775 103,446 2,763 
			 2000 82,977 26,656 11,948 121,581 2,267,721 14,211 52,825 67,036 2,584 
			 2001 84,827 23,901 10,561 119,289 2,265,979 12,353 54,806 67,159 2,317 
			 2002 89,435 26,584 9,809 125,828 (2)— 12,163 52,412 64,575 2,306 
		
	
	(1) Not available
	(2) Full year figures not available
	Notes:
	1. Crown and magistrates court figures—there will be an element of double-counting where some defendants have appeared before the courts on separate charges/trials.
	2. County court and High Court figures—these are the numbers of trials and small claims hearings that were heard. An assumption has been made that each hearing involved the defendant's attendance.

House of Lords Reform Unit

David Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent on the House of Lords Reform Unit in each year from 2000–01 to 2003–04 (planned); and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Until October 2001, officials dealing with House of Lords reform were an integral part of the Constitution Secretariat at the Cabinet Office and were also engaged in other duties within the Secretariat. On transfer of the functions to the Lord Chancellor's Department, provision of £361,000 was also transferred. This included provision for the purchase of legal advice to the Unit. The lawyers' part of the transferred resources has now been allocated to that part of the Department along with the posts in question. The estimated outturn for the House of Lords Reform unit for 2002–3 is £181,000. However, both the officials in the Unit and the legal advisers have been principally engaged on other duties within the Lord Chancellor's Department. The spending on the House of Lords Reform Unit in 2003–04 will depend on the work needed in response to the decisions made by the Committee on House of Lords Reform. Provision has been made for a budget of up to £273,000.

Immigration Adjudicators

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many immigration adjudicators are (a) part-time and (b) full-time; and how many vacancies there are.

Rosie Winterton: There are 146 salaried and 454 fee-paid immigration adjudicators. There are no vacancies, but 30 salaried appointments are pending.

Judicial Appointments

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the recent report of the Bar Council that recommended that the Lord Chancellor should lose the power to appoint judges and QCs.

Rosie Winterton: Sir Iain Glidewell's report has been issued for consultation until the end of April. His final report will be considered by the Bar Council in June. It would be inappropriate for the Lord Chancellor to make a statement on the document at this stage.

Legal Practitioners

David Kidney: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment she has made of the adequacy of measures taken to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of legal practitioners undertaking publicly funded legal work.

Rosie Winterton: I am satisfied that adequate measures have been taken to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of legal practitioners undertaking publicly funded legal work. My Department and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) monitor monthly the coverage of publicly funded civil and criminal legal service suppliers. For civil legal services, this is done through analysis of the numbers of contracted firms on a regional basis by the Regional Legal Services Committees. The adequacy of criminal legal services is monitored by the LSC's Criminal Defence Service executive, which has information about the extent of provision through contracts with criminal legal aid suppliers, and which monitors duty solicitor availability through management of duty solicitor rotas.

Lord Chancellor's Apartments

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much public money has been spent each year since 1 May 1997 on (a) maintaining and (b) improving apartments occupied by the Lord Chancellor.

Rosie Winterton: As part of a rolling programme of refurbishment throughout the Parliamentary Estate, the Lord Chancellor's State Rooms in the Palace of Westminster were refurbished in 1997–78 at a cost of £580,000. The scheme included the installation of automatic fire detection, fire compartmentation, electrical rewiring, asbestos removal and essential maintenance. The refurbishment was authorised by the House of Lords Administration and Works Sub-committee on 8 July 1997 and by its Finance and Staff Sub-committee on 16 July 1997. The House of Lords Offices Committee submitted a report to the full House which was agreed on 30 July 1997.
	Since 1998, only minor routine maintenance has been carried out. The Palace of Westminster does not keep records in such a way that allows such minor expenditure to be quantified in relation to a particular area of the Palace.
	At the conclusion of the refurbishment, the Lord Chancellor, for the first time, opened the residence to members of the public for tours and for charitable functions to be held. Tours of the residence and access for charitable functions are provided free of charge. To date, over £5.3 million has been raised for charitable causes.

Ministerial Travel

Don Foster: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will list internal flights made by Ministers in the Lord Chancellor's Department in 2002, including in each case the (a) cost, (b) departure location and (c) destination; and of these how many were (i) first class, (ii) business class and (iii) economy class.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Secret Societies

Chris Mullin: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to require new applicants for the magistrates and the judiciary to disclose membership of secret societies; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: All applicants for the lay magistracy and all those being offered an appointment for the first time to part-time or full-time judicial office are required to declare whether or not they are freemasons.

Works of Art

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what works of art are on loan to the Lord Chancellor's Department and are located in (a) his apartments and (b) his own offices; and from where they have been borrowed.

Rosie Winterton: Forty-one works of art on loan to the Palace of Westminster are located within the Lord Chancellor's residence and office. In the residence there are two paintings on loan from the National Maritime Museum, six paintings and three sculptures on loan from the Royal Academy, 10 paintings on loan from the Imperial War Museum, six paintings on loan from the Fitzwilliam Museum, four paintings and three sets of prints on loan from the National Galleries of Scotland, and four sets of engravings and one set of plaster casts are on loan from the National Galleries of Scotland.
	In the Lord Chancellor's office, there are two paintings on loan from the National Galleries of Scotland and two paintings on loan from the National Maritime Museum.
	All works of art are from the reserve collections of these museums. As with all works of art on loan to the Palace of Westminster, these are subject to recall at any time by the lending institutions should they be required for an exhibition.
	The Lord Chancellor's residence and offices are used for official purposes in connection with the Lord Chancellor's roles as Speaker of the House of Lords and Cabinet Minister. In addition, the Lord Chancellor's residence has been open to visitors since 1998. About 10,400 people have taken part in guided tours and a further 12,300 people have attended charity functions in the residence. So far, over £5.3 million has been raised for charitable causes from receptions in the residence.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

External Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was (a) the total amount and (b) the proportion of aggregate external finance that central Government provided to local government for which local authorities were required to bid in each year since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: Tabled as follows are all special grants inside Aggregate External Finance (AEF) that were listed at the time of the Local Government Finance Settlement and the amount for which local authorities were required to bid in each Financial Year. The total amount and proportion of AEF that this represents is at the foot of the table.
	
		£ million
		
			 Grants for which local authorities bid 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Education
			 Class Size Reduction — — 80.3 160.0 183.0 — — 
			 Education of Travellers and Displaced Persons — 7.2 — — — — — 
			 Education Support and Training 27.0 — — — — — — 
			 Ethnic Minorities 66.8 77.7 — — — — — 
			 Standards Fund and Others — 67.0 49.0 49.0 — — — 
			 Travellers' Children 6.9 — — — — — — 
			 
			 PSS1
			 Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services — — — — — 2.0 — 
			 Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2.5 2.0 4.7 2.0 — — — 
			 Mental Illness 1.6 7.0 2.3 1.4 0.9 0.6 — 
			 Training Support Programme 1.5 3.2 6.6 17.1 14.5 13.0 13.0 
			 
			 EPCS2
			 Employment Services Programme — — 25.5 25.9 — — — 
			 Neighbourhood Wardens — — — — — — 17.0 
			 Personalised Travel Pilots — — — — — — 0.6 
			 Roadside Vehicle Testing — — — — — 3.9 4.0 
			 Rural Bus Challenge — 11.4 16.8 21.2 20.5 20.0 20.0 
			 Sheltered Employment 24.9 25.9 — — — — — 
			 Waste Recycling Challenge — — — — — (5)10.0 40.0 
			 Urban Bus Challenge — — — — 15.5 18.2 20.0 
			 
			 Police
			 Community Support Officers — — — — — — 39.0 
			 Counter Terrorism — — — — — — 58.0 
			 DNA Grant — — — — — — 9.0 
			 National Intelligence Model — — — — — — 2.0 
			 Officer Retention over 30 Years — — — — — — 1.0 
			 Police Negotiating Board — — — — — — 36.0 
			 Reform Deal — — — — — — 8.0 
			 Special Constables — — — — — — 5.0 
			 Street Crime Initiative — — — — — — 6.3 
			 
			 Total grant which required bids 131.2 201.4 185.2 276.6 234.3 67.8 278.9 
			 Total AEF 35,767 37,521 39,545 41,856 44,661 47,503 (6)52,951 
			 Percentage of AEF which required bids 0.37 0.54 0.47 0.66 0.52 0.14 0.53 
		
	
	(3) Personal Social Services.
	(4) Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services.
	(5) This was announced after the Final Settlement 2002–03.
	(6) This includes a £1,400 million Supporting People grant which was announced after the Final Settlement 2003–04.

Grant Payments (Essex)

Alan Hurst: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much in grant monies, excluding rate support grant, was paid to (a) Essex county council and (b) Braintree district council, in each year since 1990.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		Essex county council -- £ million
		
			Central Government 
			  Redistributed business rates Police grant Capital grants Specific grants inside AEF Total 
		
		
			 1990–91(a) — 46.8 13.6 15.9 76.2 
			 1991–92(a) — 53.9 8.9 25.4 88.2 
			 1992–93(a) — 59.0 9.7 26.9 95.6 
			 1993–94 316.7 64.3 10.8 38.9 430.6 
			 1994–95 292.1 68.9 13.6 45.0 419.6 
			 1995–96(b) 283.5 — 7.2 38.7 329.4 
			 1996–97 322.4 — 5.8 34.4 362.7 
			 1997–98 306.8 — 3.2 331.0 340.9 
			 1998–99(c) 260.9 — 4.6 36.0 301.6 
			 1999–2000 284.5 — 6.4 49.3 340.1 
			 2000–01 323.5 — 122.9 79.3 415.8 
			 2001–02 318.4 — 23.4 51.1 392.8 
			 2002–03 349.6 — 25.9 110.7 486.2 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are not necessarily comparable between years due to changes in function and responsibility. The main changes are listed:
	(a) Between 1990–91 and 1992–93, all redistributed non-domestic rates for shire areas were paid direct to the collection funds of district councils:
	(b) Responsibility for policing transferred from Essex county council to Essex Police Authority on 1 April 1995.
	(c) The area covered by Essex county council decreased on 1 April 1998 when Southend and Thurrock became unitary authorities.
	
		Braintree district council -- £ million
		
			Community Charge Central Government 
			  Redistributed business rates SSA reduction grant Preparation grant Preparation costs grant Capital grants Specific grants inside AEF Total 
		
		
			 1990–91(a) 26.5 — — 0.1 0.4 0.2 27.1 
			 1991–92(a) 30.7 — — — 0.4 01.2 31.3 
			 1992–93(a) 30.8 — 0.2 — 0.6 0.2 31.9 
			 1993–94 4.2 — — — 0.7 0.3 5.2 
			 1994–95 3.9 — — — 0.7 0.4 4.9 
			 1995–96 4.1 — — — 0.9 0.3 5.2 
			 1996–97 4.4 0.1 — — 1.0 0.3 5.8 
			 1997–98 4.0 — — — 0.6 0.3 4.9 
			 1998–99(b) 4.0 — — — 0.8 0.3 5.1 
			 1999–2000 4.4 — — — 0.7 0.3 5.4 
			 2000–01 5.0 — — — 0.2 0.3 5.4 
			 2001–02 5.0 — — — 0.2 0.3 5.4 
			 2002–03 5.7 — — — 0.3 0.3 6.2 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are not necessarily comparable between years due to changes in function and responsibility. The main changes are listed:
	(a) Between 1990–91 and 1992–93 all redistributed non-domestic rates for shire areas were paid direct to the collection funds of district councils:
	(b) The area covered by Essex county council decreased on 1 April 1998 when Southend and Thurrock became unitary authorities.

Mass Decontamination

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many protective suits for use in mass decontamination have been provided for the Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade; and what proportion of the Brigade can be supplied with such suits.

Nick Raynsford: The extra 4,000 gas tight suits being purchased under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 's £56 million New Dimension programme will be deployed flexibly, on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of risk, to meet the needs of all fire authorities including those of Tyne and Wear. This represents a doubling of existing capacity.

Mass Decontamination

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what finance has been set aside for the funding of new special purpose vehicles for use in mass decontamination; and how many such vehicles, and at what cost (a) have been ordered and (b) are in the hands of fire authorities.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made available, from its own and Treasury funds, £56 million under the New Dimension programme to finance the purchase of 80 new vehicles and 190 purpose built decontamination units. They will be deployed flexibly, on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of risk, to meet the needs of all fire authorities. Delivery of the equipment for training purposes will take place in the next few weeks.

Mass Decontamination

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new special purpose vehicles for mass decontamination are (a) planned for and (b) in the hands of Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's New Dimension programme will provide 80 special purpose vehicles for carrying mass decontamination equipment. They will be deployed flexibly, on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of risk, to meet the needs of all fire authorities including those of Tyne and Wear. Delivery of equipment for training purposes will take place in the next few weeks.

New Deal for Communities

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 4 March 2003, Official Report, column 932W, on the New Deal for Communities, in which year the 17 employees had their contracts terminated; in which year the two employees were made redundant; what the total pay-out in financial settlement for each employee was; and how much of each financial settlement came from central government funding, including grants.

Barbara Roche: The information requested is not held centrally. It is currently being collected from Government Offices and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is collated.

New Deal for Communities

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, column 263W, on the New Deal for Communities, what the administrative budget was for each financial year.

Barbara Roche: There is no annual New Deal for Communities (NDC) administrative budget. However over the 10 year programme each NDC must not spend more than 10 per cent. of its allocation on management and administration. In the early years NDC's admin expenditure will be a higher percentage of its total spend than in later years. This is because early on each NDC has to set itself and its systems up before it can start getting projects under way.

Objective One

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the amount of Objective One monies spent in Wirral, South in the last 12 months.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information on levels of European funding at constituency level. However the Wirral, South constituency will benefit from £13.5 million European funding to the Wirral local authority area since 1 March 2002. The individual projects are listed in the following tables. As the Objective One programme is Merseyside-wide in scope, a further substantial amount of programme-funded activity will be delivered by organisations that have a pan-Merseyside remit.
	
		European Regional Development fund (ERDF)—(Wirral Local Authority Area) Committed since 1 March 2002 -- £
		
			 Project ERDF 
		
		
			 Merseyside Business Environment Network (Merben) 1,037,500 
			 Lairdside Laser Engineering Centre 600,456 
			 Twelve Quays Campus 992,000 
			 Wirral Waterfront Core Management Services 1,006,008 
			 International Astronomy and Space Centre 3,654,181 
			 Europa House, Europa Boulevard, Birkenhead 764,986 
			 Birkenhead Park Restoration Plan 2,000,000 
			 Barnardos Town Lane Community Centre 50,107 
			 Step Ahead Wirral 33,250 
			  10,138,488 
		
	
	
		European Social Fund (ESF)—(Wirral Local Authority Area) Committed since 1 March 2002 -- £
		
			 Project ESF 
		
		
			 Employment Intermediary 92,900 
			 Special Schools Consortium 59,026 
			 Day Programme 2002 55,659 
			 Fresh Start 160,191 
			 Work Experience 2002 45,033 
			 Next Step 2002 40,763 
			 ICT for excluded in Birkenhead 70,681 
			 The Aftercare Project 73,915 
			 Worklink 431,042 
			 Basil Hulme NLC 38,500 
			 PHOENIX 129,290 
			 ILM- Accessing Employment 435,350 
			 Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs 45,000 
			 Pathways Employability Skills 2002 77,801 
			 First Steps 27,410 
			 Employing the Long term unemployed (LTU)— Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) Support 197,600 
			 A Pathway into Employment 2002 181,200 
			 Employability Project 55,428 
			 Community Transport & Care Training 52,160 
			 Pathways Outreach 2002 111,328 
			 Family Learning Move On Project 150,692 
			 7 Waves Radio 75,599 
			 Referral Order 86,571 
			 Move On Project 316,674 
			 Step Ahead Wirral 252,825 
			 Beneficiaries Survey 49,922 
			  3,312,560

Objective One

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the amount of Objective One money spent in each Merseyside constituency;
	(2)  of (a) first and (b) second tranche Objective One moneys spent in Wirral, South as a percentage of the whole.

Nick Raynsford: Because the Programme is Regional in scope, a substantial amount of Programme-funded activity will be delivered by organisations that have a pan-Merseyside remit. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister cannot therefore calculate spending in constituencies.

Social Housing Grant

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the estimated expenditure is on local authority social housing grant in each Government office region in 2002–03.

Tony McNulty: Estimated expenditure on local authority social housing grant (LASHG) in each region for 2002–03 (as at 12 March) is shown as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 London 122.968 
			 South East 167.614 
			 South West 77.411 
			 East Midlands 14.259 
			 East of England 82.288 
			 West Midlands 19.484 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 4.544 
			 North East 0.560 
			 North West 10.872 
			 Total 500.000

Parliamentary Questions

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow of 7 January, ref 89523, regarding the guidance issued to district valuers about the valuation of properties being sold under the right to buy.

Christopher Leslie: My hon. Friend will receive a reply from my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the next few days.